Practice violin



Jan. 19, 1932. E. H. BERGH PRACTICE VIOLIN MEE? LEE rr I .L l

Y cellos and the like.

Patented Jan. 19, 1932 EDWIN'H. BERGH, or ,STERLINQ immers, Assreiv it.' 'ro aannamel nin-ann Musrcfooa `or omesso, iL:c.I1\roIsy A coRPoB'ArIoNUoF SOUTH minors .l

PRACTICE "vbfLfN .lr l Y application ymedocmber 7,f 192"9." Yserrer No". 398,003.

The invention relates to improvements in musical instruments and has reference more particularly to that type of-instrument emstrings, such as violins,A

ploying vibrating Heretofore it 'has been the custom inmusic schools and institutions wherein music is taught to provide the `student with a full s ize standard Ainstrument upon which instruction to the student `was given, andwhich he was allowed to use during his practice hours. This, of course, necessarily added to the eX- erenc'e characters are yused 13o-designate like strument comprising the:pres`ent invention;

. Figure 2-i's a sideelevationofthe Samui-fk5 andv Y- j "1` i Figure 3 is a detail view'ofthe vconstruction for securing .tle chin rest to the-body of the instrument. f

1 --The device consists" of a body-member 10530 of block-likeformation, oblong in contour penseV and maintenance of the schools when v they assumed the=cost of providing each Student with a standard instrument, or else it became incumbent on thefstudent to provide himself with a desirable instrument.'

It is therefore one of the primary objects of the present invention to vprovide a sim le and inexpensive substitute for musicali 1nstruments which can be played in the same manner, producing a close imitation of tone of the standard instruments, and which Whole body of the instrument functions as a sounding board.

A yet further object is to provide a stringed instrument having an adjustable end piece for use as a chin rest by means of which thelength of the instrument can be varied as desired.

With these and various other objects 'in View, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reftherefore will be suitablefor use by'students l and having a cavity formed in one of its sides which extends as far as ,the broken line 12.

Byreason of they cavity inthe body member,

which is preferablyfformed in the elongated@ 35 1 side,,a pairofthin walls Mare vsecured which, -in connection with the, cavity, transforms the body intol ashell-like member so that it func- :tions as a sounding board. Secured to the body by a suitablegsecuring bolt 16 is a comi0 bined neckiand finger board 18 having a hea-d 20 which is recessed for accommodation of the keys '22.; Although the embodiment of the invention vas disclosed' in the drawings contemplates th'e =use of a finger board which isf-75 .separatefrom the body portion, it is to be understoodvthat the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, but can also be emv bodied ina device employing a finger board,A integral withand forming a continuation ofO out of a single piece of material so that the l.

l cessed as yshown at Q8 to Vspace for the linger boar the body portion. 1- 'At the .end opposite tolthecombined neck andtinger board the body portion is provided with an inclined .facie 24 and a recessed portion 26.,.Thepart of the body member ,10695 overlapped by the finger boardI A18 isalso redprovide a clearance so that both members will be free to `vibrate without interference from 'each' other. p

Secured to the body portion adjacent the inclined face 24 is altail vpiece 30 havin a bent end'32 held'inslo't 34 provided fortat purpose in the rearv'ed of the body member.

A'Stririgsl extendfrom the tail piece over a A 'bridge' 38Q and are secured at thelr other lend 2to the keys 22.1 i The bridgerests in a groove '40, in `which position the instrument will profd-uce-la-certain character of tone.'y A groove 142' is `also providedfspacedy from the groove 10 and located closer to the finger-board 18. The bridge 38 when inserted in this groove functions to vary the finger spacing, thus rendering the instrument substantially similar to a three-quarter violin.

The instrument is provided with an adj ust able end piece 44 which serves as a chin rest 4G. By securing the end piece either in towards, or away from, the body member, the length of the instrument can be varied as desired. The chin rest is formed integral with the end piece and is provided with suitable surface contours 'for the accommodation of the chin ot the operator. The construction employed for securing the end piece to the body member is shown in Figure 3 wherein the tubular rod 48 has one end firmly secured to the end piece, and the other end inserted into the opening 50 provided for the purpose in the body member. Leading from the lower edge of the opening 5() is a channel 52 which, in combination with the transverse bolt 54 and thumb nut 56, serves to increase or lessen thel rictional resistance on the tubular rod so that the attached end piece, and consequently the chin rest, can be secured in any position desired.

A desirable feature of the chin rest is the adjustability secured in relation t-o the body member 10 of the instrument. The member 44 can be extended longitudinally within certain limits and can be secured at various angles to the body portion by reason of the tubular rod 48. This allows the instrument to be held in a vertical plane with thel chin rest at that angle best suited to the particuiar operator.

The construction disclosed as comprising the present invention has those characteristics most similar to a violin and is adapted to be played with a bow in a manner as a standard violin is played. Various changes, however, can be made in the proportions oi the parts so that the instrument will similate a cello or any other type of stringed instrument desired.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown, which is merely by Way of illustration and not limitation, as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent yto those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I cla-im:

l. In a stringed musical instrument, a body member hollowed out in one of its sides, a combined neck and finger board, means for securing said neck and finger board to one end of the body member, a transverse slot provided in the other end of said body member, a bridge resting on said body member, atail piece detachably secured in said slot, and strings fastened to said neck and tail piece respectively and passing over said bridge.

2. In a stringed musical instrument, a body member hollowed out in one of its sides, a combined neck and inger board secured to one end ofthe body member, a tail piece secured tothe other end oit the body member, a universally adjustable end piece secured to said body member adjacent said tail piece and a chin rest in combination with said end piece.

3. In a stringed musical instrument, a body member hollowed out in one of its sides, a combined neck and iinger-board secured to one end of the body member, a tail piece secured to the other end of the body member, a universally adjustable end piece frictionally-secured to said body member adjacent the tail piece, and a chin rest integral with said end piece.

4. In a stringed musical instrument, a body member hollowed out in one of its sides. a combined neck and finger-board sccured to one end of the body member, a tail piece secured to the other end and connected to said neck by strings` said body member being provided with an opening adjacent the tail piece `for receiving a tubular rod, parts ot the body member adjacent the rod being separated by a, channel communicating with the opening, and means for varying the width of said channel to apply friction to said rod. Y

5. In a stringed musical instrument, a body member hollowed out in one of its sides, a combined neck and finger-board, means for securing said neck and fingerboard to oneend ot' the body member, the other end having a transverse slot for receivn inga tail piece, said last mentioned end of the body also having an opening provided. therein, a chin rest including a supporting rod adapted to be adjustably located in said opening, and strings fastened to said neck and tail lpiece and contacting a bridge supported on the body member.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 21st day of September, 1929. l

EDW'IN H. BERGH. 

